Car FYI

With governments and even consumers requesting automakers to explore green technology, luxury cars offer the most viable place to create electrified powertrains. Luxury vehicles are typically sold at a high profit margin allowing the incorporation of new, exotic technologies to be performed without the limitations or sticker shock associated with electric cars trying to appeal to a growing market. That has been the key of success for Tesla Motors and the BMW i line is launching with the anticipation they can find a similar premium market for electrified cars. Taking their first step into the plug-in hybrid vehicle marketplace, Mercedes-Benz is all charged up with the newest variant of their flagship S-Class sedan . Set to be one of the largest plug-in hybrid cars on the market, the Mercedes-Benz S550 Plug-in Hybrid will also be perhaps the most lavish vehicle to be chauffeured through zero emissions motoring. For up to 20 miles, the S550 Plug-in Hybrid will exclusively run ...

Photo Credit: CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc Joining the zero-emissions vehicle trend, Mercedes-Benz owned small vehicle builder smart has prepared their first customer available fortwo microcar. After a Three-Phase process that involved testing the electric powertrain around the world, customer orders for the smart fortwo electric drive is now being taken in many markets including Canada. While the nearly 8-year presence of the smart brand in Canada is greeted with mixed interests depending on individual motoring tastes, the fortwo electric drive versions of the small two-seat vehicle is priced very attractively. For the smart fortwo electric drive coupe, Canadian buyers will be paying $26,990. About $12,000 the starting price of the gasoline-burning fortwo coupe, smart's electric drive is currently the most reasonable priced fully street legal electric vehicle. For an open-air electric...